


All Smiles

by Jadzia_Bear



Category: Star Trek: Picard
Genre: Against His Better Judgement, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Rios is smitten
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:06:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23376616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jadzia_Bear/pseuds/Jadzia_Bear
Summary: There’s something Elnor wants to do, and Rios, magnanimous captain that is, happily obliges.
Relationships: Cristobal Rios/Elnor
Comments: 28
Kudos: 58





	All Smiles

**Author's Note:**

> Look, all I know is that this fandom needs more fluff, and that I ship Elnor with all the people.
> 
> Also, not sure if ‘pash and dash’ is just an Australian expression? It means to kiss (pash) and then part ways (dash).

At first, Rios just assumes that the kid never smiles at all.

In his defence, for the first day and a half after Elnor comes on board, he’s all stoicism and perfect cheekbones, looking like he’s never cracked a smile in his life.

It doesn’t take long for Rios to realise that the handsome young man very much _can_ smile, he’s just courteous enough to meter them out sparingly because the damn things are _heart_ -stopping. 

There’s that soft smile of wonder that appears when the ship goes into warp and the stars turn to streaks across the sky. Then the grin that broke out when Rios showed him how the holodeck could be turned into a training gym.

Rios’ favourite smiles, though, are the ones that are completely unexpected.

“I don’t like it when you call me ‘kid,’” Elnor says, in that refreshingly direct way of his. “I’m an adult. I’m an expert swordsman, I’ve spent weeks alone in the wilderness taking care of myself. These are not the traits of a child—”

Rios holds up his hands in easy surrender. “You’re absolutely right. How about ‘El,’ then? And you can call me Cris.”

This last part catches Elnor by surprise. Which is fine, except then his surprise melts into a shy, little smile, full lips curving up in joy at the tiny intimacy Rios just offered him.

Elnor nods, “Thank you, Cris,” then turns away with a swirl of his dumb, weirdly attractive robe-thing.

Rios returns to his depressing book in an effort to curb the confetti explosions in his stomach.

* * *

Rios approaches the holodeck and the doors slide open. He’s just there to ask Elnor how much longer he plans on using the room, but as soon as he’s inside he realises his mistake.

Elnor’s running the training gym program, which means the robe is off, sculpted arms on display as he moves through his routine. So much golden skin, so much power and skill.

See, the problem with Elnor is, not only is he incredibly fit and attractive, he combines a certain naivety with an emotional intelligence that’s beyond his years. Rios feels like nothing but scars and stale cigar smoke in comparison.

Elnor throws him a grin as he works out. “Want to spar?” he asks.

Rios chuckles and puts his hands in his pockets. “No thanks El, we both know you’d kick my ass. Just wondering how much longer you’ll be in here.”

“Ten more minutes,” he says as he executes a back handspring.

Rios nods.

He should leave Elnor alone now.

Why hasn’t he left.

Elnor catches him staring and quirks one elegant brow.

“You look good, doing that,” Rios explains. The Way of Absolute Candor must be rubbing off on him.

“You look good, too,” Elnor answers.

Elnor can’t possibly mean what Rios wishes he meant, so he plays it off with a nonchalant stroke of his chin. “Well, I did trim my beard this morning,” he remarks.

Elnor does some kind of flip, graceful and effortless, landing just inside Rios’ personal space. It’s… extremely hot.

“There’s something I want to do,” Elnor says, his words coming out a little breathless on account of his workout.

Rios has no such excuse for the lack of air in his lungs. “What’s that?” he asks, looking up into whiskey-brown eyes.

“I want to kiss you.”

Rios considers the possibility that he’s finally lost his scotch-soaked mind. Then he realises what’s going on. This is some kind of Absolute Candor thing.

Elnor’s in the mood to make out, so he said it out loud, just like everything else he feels. Rios just happened to be nearby at the time, that’s all this is. It’s probably a good thing for everyone that it’s him and not Raffi or Agnes on the receiving end of this whole business.

“Then do it,” he says, selflessly, for the benefit of everyone else.

Elnor leans in. Rios thinks he hears the whisper of a shaky breath.

He presses his lips to Rios’ and sweet Jesus they are _soft_. He lets Elnor lead the kiss, waiting to see exactly what the young man wants to do. It turns out the answer is to turn Rios to mush with the sweetest kisses he’s ever had.

Rios’ hands find Elnor’s hips. Elnor reciprocates by cupping his face with both hands. He rubs his thumbs over Rios’ beard and hums softly into the kiss, which is interesting. Rios wonders if he’s ever kissed anyone with a beard before.

Rios experiments by parting his lips a little further and Elnor doesn’t need to be asked twice, filling the space with the tip of his tongue.

He waits for Elnor to break the kiss, which, fortunately, takes a good long while.

“Is there anything else you want?” Rios asks, hoping his roughened voice sounds sexy and not just wrecked. In truth, he’s already steeling himself for the ‘dash’ part of this whole pash-and-dash situation.

Elnor’s gaze roams over him. “Yes. I want to tell you that I adore your face,” he breathes, “that you make my heart swell…and not just my heart.”

Rios concentrates harder than he should have to on not falling over. “I’ll admit, there’s something to be said for the Way of Absolute Candor,” he murmurs.

“Does this displease you?” Elnor asks, guileless and beautiful. “If so, I won’t mention it again.”

“No, no,” Rios assures him. “In fact, if we’re being… ‘absolutely candid,’ I feel very much the same.” He rests a hand on Elnor’s chest so that when he moves his thumb back and forth, it drags over bare skin. “It’s just…”

“I’m not inexperienced, if that’s your concern.”

Rios blinks.

He’d be perfectly happy to hold the hand of virgin-Elnor on his first foray into sex and relationships. The thought of falling into bed with an Elnor who already knows what he’s doing is enough to melt his brain.

“No, El, it’s not that at all. It’s just…” He pulls his hands back to rest them on his hips as he tries to reconcile all this new information. “I mean, have you met me? I’m a grumpy old asshole twice your age.”

“Why should that matter?” Elnor asks. Part of him kind of loves that Elnor doesn’t try to deny it.

_Because you’ll get fed up with me,_ he thinks.

“Because people will think I’m taking advantage of you,” he says.

“Are you?”

“No.” At least he’s pretty sure he’s not, unless falling hopelessly in love with someone counts.

“And what’s more important to you? How we feel, or what others think?” Elnor asks, and it’s not even rhetorical.

Rios huffs a laugh and shakes his head. Elnor is far more self-aware than he was at that age.

“All right,” Rios concedes, sliding his hands back over Elnor’s hips. “But you need to make sure you talk to me, okay? Let me know what you want to do and what you don’t.” The last thing he wants is to take advantage of him inadvertently.

A hint of a smirk tugs at Elnor’s graceful lips. “Have you met me?” he asks, stealing Rios’ line from earlier. “That’s not going to be a problem.”

“I suppose it’s not,” he chuckles, and leans in for another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this at all, comments and kudos are very greatly appreciated, thank you :)


End file.
